WORCESTERSHIRE had no doubt about what was top of their agenda when they launched their 2001 season -- promotion.

And that meant hauling themselves out of the second divisions in both the CricInfo County Championship and the Norwich Union League.

It was a tall order, but by the time the last ball had been bowled half the dream had become reality.

A top three promotion spot was finally secured in the Norwich Union League in the last game of the season while plans are already under way to strengthen the squad to make a bigger impact in the Championship next season.

Certainly, for Tom Moody, in his first season as Worcestershire's Director of Cricket, it was a highly encouraging campaign.

His positive approach rubbed off on the players who can now look back on a demanding season which produced the following outcome:

- Sixth place in Division Two of the CricInfo County Championship.

- Promotion to the first division of the Norwich Union League.

- A quarter-final spot in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy for the first time since winning the competition, then sponsored by NatWest, in 1994.

- Failure to qualify for the Benson & Hedges Cup quarter-finals.

The wet weather at the start of the campaign provoked the first major talking point at New Road.

After the worst winter flooding in over 50 years it was a race against the clock for the County groundstaff to get everything ship-shape in time for the opening match.

Not for the first time a helicopter was used to hover over the pitch and help the drying out process.

Re-turfing an area of the outfield, which had been badly affected by silt, was also carried out.

After a rain-ruined draw with Middlesex at Lord's in the first game of the season, the stage was set for New Road's curtain-raiser against Sussex. It was the County's 1,000th first-class fixture on the ground in 102 years -- and it rained!

The first two days were completely washed out and after a watery draw a decision was made to play the next two matches -- in the Norwich Union League against Sussex and in the Benson & Hedges Cup against Northamptonshire -- at Kidderminster's Chester Road ground. Both matches were won.

But when the County returned later in the season for their annual Championship match, they lost by seven wickets to Durham.

It was Worcestershire's fifth consecutive Championship defeat at Chester Road, and was one of five Championship reversals the County suffered during the season.

Their four wins were over Gloucestershire (by 252 runs at Bristol and seven wickets at New Road), Derbyshire (an innings and three runs at Derby) and Hampshire (112 runs at New Road).

The victory count might have been higher but for the rain which devastated the first two home Championship matches against Sussex and Derbyshire. Five out of seven days were completely washed out with only 130 overs bowled on the other two.

The third home Championship game of the season, against Warwickshire, saw the final day also fall victim to the wet conditions. It meant that the County had lost six full days out of 12 at New Road.

Once the skies cleared, the first-class programme produced several highlights, but they were not always in skipper Graeme Hick's favour.

One which went against Worcestershire was in the Championship match against Nottinghamshire at New Road. Notts reached a 458-run victory target -- the highest winning total the County have conceded, beating the 405-6 by Essex at New Road in 1994.

The visit of the all-conquering Australians produced the usual excitement and anticipation with the tourists winning by 360 runs. Only once before had Worcestershire lost to them by a bigger runs margin.